Pomona Middle School will host a back-to-school supplies giveaway Thursday, Aug. 28 for all students from the East Ramapo school district.

Families are invited to come to Pomona Middle School, 101 Pomona Road, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. to pick up a backpack filled with supplies for their children. The district expects to have 1,000 backpacks available for students in need. No pre-registration is required.

More than 25 community organization representatives will also be on hand Thursday to meet and greet families and talk about their services.

Health, counseling and other services will be available to East Ramapo families this year at the Pomona school, which is being turned into a "community hub" through a $500,000 state grant this year. In addition, the nearly 700 seventh- and eighth-graders at Pomona will have a longer school day starting in September in a new effort to boost test scores and graduation rates.

For more information about the two initiatives, check out our past coverage hereand here.

United Way, Fidelis Care and Temple Beth Sholom donated the new school supplies including crayons, scissors, pencils, pens, glue, markers, folders and erasers. Representatives from those organizations will also be present on Thursday.

For more information, contact Family Resource Coordinator Nida Sharif at (845) 577-6226 or nsharif@ercsd.k12.ny.us.